Warning of heightened crisis in Moro areas

We, Sandugo, a national alliance of Moro and indigenous peoples, criticized President Rodrigo Duterte for what he said as a possible “spillover” of the Marawi crisis in Buldon, Maguindanao and other areas in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) due to the “presence” of the Jihadist militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) in the area.

We saw Duterte’s statement as a bid to justify the extension of martial law and the expansion of military operations outside of Marawi.

Our co-chairperson Datu Jerome Succor Aba said that by pinpointing Buldon, Maguindanao, Duterte has effectively marked the town as the next target of bombing/aerial strikes that will put the Moro people in Buldon at risk.

President Duterte’s penchant to easily pinpoint at groups of people as “Isis” and to use firepower in communities on mere suspicion of “Isis presence” is already wreaking havoc in Moro communities. Accusing communities of harboring “terrorists” has sown fear among the Moro people.

If this happens, Aba said the Iranon people will again be subject to various human rights violations, similar to what happened under President Estrada’s all-out war. The residents of the former Camp Abubakar have yet to see justice to those who were killed and displaced. They have yet to rise from the destruction of their communities during Estrada’s all-out war.

We, the lead organization of the Lakbayan 2017, call on the Duterte government to stop airstrikes in Marawi and to end martial law in Mindanao. Our group is now holding its second assembly at Sitio Sandugo/Kampuhan sa UP Diliman.Let me share my thoughts why.--